DH 320 - Clinical Theory and Scientific Basis

This course is designed to provide students with the scientific basis for dental hygiene care. Emphasis will be placed on the areas of oral health education, preventive care, and nutritional and tobacco cessation counseling to the management of oral health. Topics include the formulation of a dental hygiene diagnostic statement, SOAP note method of documentation, diet and the caries process, advanced non-surgical periodontal therapies including chemotherapeutic agents, advanced periodontal instrumentation techniques with hand and ultrasonic instruments. Other topics include care of hand instruments with instrument sharpening, care of dental implants, and protocol and procedural methods for the use and care of ultrasonic instruments. Students will apply the knowledge gained in this course to practical situations in the lab component as well as in the clinic. Semester Credit Hours: 2.00 Contact Hours: 30/0/0/30 Prerequisites: DH 199 Dental Hygiene Preclinical, DH 199C Dental Hygiene Preclinical Practice, DH 211 General and Oral Pathology, and DH 295 Radiography Interpretation. Corequisite: DH 320L Clinical Theory and Scientific Basis Laboratory.